The draft was worded in a depoliticized and compact manner.
Starting with a confirmation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and
territorial integrity, it firmly states that there is no
alternative to a peaceful political solution to the grave
situation in the eastern regions of the country. Russia wants the
Council to endorse the “package of measures for the
implementation of the Minsk agreements” adopted by the
Contact Group and to welcome the declaration made by the leaders
of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France in support of that
package. Finally, the draft calls on all parties to fully
implement the agreements, including a comprehensive ceasefire.

I immediately wrote to UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond
calling on the UK Government to support the draft and to consider
the possibility to co-sponsor it. Unfortunately, the reaction of
our British partners has so far been ambiguous. Consultations on
the draft in New York are continuing, with some members trying to
supplement it with elements that go significantly beyond what was
agreed in Minsk.

We do not share the argument that the Security Council should
wait until the truce in eastern Ukraine proves to be holding. The
Russian idea is to have an early resolution as a powerful
political message to the parties to the conflict, precisely to
help the ceasefire become sustainable. We hope this logic will be
understood by our partners and a resolution will be adopted soon.

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